Welcome
Fiona Devereaux, RD, MSc SDH
Dietitian, Educator, Presenter and Indigenous Anti-Racism Facilitator​​
Good day, I am Fiona, white bodied settler of Irish ancestry. I am a daughter, sister, auntie, friend and lifelong learner. My parents are B and Tom Devereaux and my grandparents were Mary Healy, Micheal Dorgan, (Burnfort, Co.Cork), Angie Quinn and Johnny Devereaux (Tullamore, Co. Offaly). My family immigrated to the Treaty 6 Territory homeland of the Métis colonially known as Saskatoon. I grew up on the homelands of the Quw'utsun peoples. I personally and professionally occupy and benefit from unceded, ancestral and stolen homelands of LÉ™kʷəŋən peoples known today as the Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations. I am learning LÉ™kʷəŋən means ‘a place to smoke herring.’ I picture the vast amounts of herring being smoked and preserved on the Songhees walkway and the bounty these lands, waters and forests provided. These lands and the environment are foundational to wellbeing. Healthy lands, healthy peoples. ​
Each day I acknowledge that these lands are Indigenous homelands and each Nation has distinct rights and deep connections to their lands, waters and forests. As a white settler, I must acknowledge the vast colonial policies that impact and shape the lives of Indigenous families and Nations. I commit to listening deeply, learning more, and reflecting on my power and privilege. I will continue to take steps to disrupt racism within myself, others, and society and to amplify Indigenous, Black and voices of the Global Majority. I hope to build relationships with others who want to reflect on our collective responsibility to address these inequities and work towards social justice and Indigenous human rights.
I am honoured to have had a long career working alongside and learning from Coast Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw and Nuu-chah-nulth communities. I am a lifelong learner and have a MSc Social Dimensions of Health and am a plant medicine student. Please see my education, training and professional background page for more. I spend my time with family, friends, hiking, camping, gardening and being among the trees, plants and by water.
Let's Connect
Lets Connect!
​
250-589-2141
Unceded, unsurrendered and stolen LÉ™k̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Homelands
Accountability and Reciprocity
My work towards right relations with lÉ™k̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples is ongoing. Below are my ongoing acts of reciprocity:
-
Yearly City of Victoria Reconciliation Tax 10% of property taxes
-
Restoration Volunteer Songhees Nation, W̱S͸ḴEM Ivy Project, PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱
-
Monthly Contributor to Nesting Doula, Media Indigenia and Qwustenuxun Williams
-
Plant Medicine creations/teas from my yard donated back to community
-
Habitat Acquisition Trust Volunteer
-
Ongoing contributions to community fundraisers and family go fund me
-
Volunteer time to support white settler mentorship
-
Ongoing commitment to learning more
Educational and Mentor Relationships
I am so privileged and grateful for the learning opportunities and mentorship which have helped shape who I am today. I started my career as a diabetes educator and after hearing clients experiences of food insecurity, I shifted focus to restoring food systems and the importance of Indigenous food sovereignty, plants and medicines. After many years learning and working alongside Indigenous communities I began my life long decolonizing journey looking at my socialization. Mentorship and calls to engage in an ongoing Indigenous anti-racism learning led me to more schooling. Below I have tried to summarize some of the educational endeavours and mentors that shape, inform and inspire me.
​​
-
Generous and patient Coast Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw and Nuu-chah-nulth teachers
-
MSc Social Dimensions of Health Thesis - whiteness, settler colonialism and Indigenous specific racism
-
Good member standing with College of BC Dietitians
-
Ongoing participation in white settler communities of learnings
-
Indigenous anti-racism mentorship
-
Emerging women leadership 12 month learning journey
-
Ongoing learning and unlearning on my whiteness from IBPOC
-
Foundations in Somatic Abolitionism with Resmma Menakam
-
Honourable Senator Murray Sinclair Gathering Songhees Wellness 2019
-
Fireweed Farm and School Plants and Wild Roots Plants Apprenticeship 2014-2018
-
NWIC Diabetes Prevention Through Traditional Plants Training 2013
-
San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Core and Advanced Health, Mental Health 2011 - 2016
-
It Takes A Village with Kathy Camilleri 2007
-
Intensives - Personal growth, emotional intelligence, and healing
-
Workplace Leadership LINX Training
-
Dietitians of Canada Conference presenter and attendee 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020
-
Canadian Diabetes Association presenter and attendee 2005, 2007, 2022
-
Gathering our Voices Youth Conference Speaker 2015-2020
-
ISPARC Indigenous Health Living Activities and Fit Nations 2016 -2024
-
Alaska Native Food and Plants Conference and Muckleshoot 2016